Current Grows Stronger
by GreatBigFreak
Summary: Part 18 in a series. Other titles in notes. Dum-E says hello. Steve calls shenanigans on the government. Tony leans on Steve, and Steve loves every second of it. Clint does some nesting. Bruce calls for blatant honesty. Steve and Bucky talk about the value of a human life. The team discovers a spider hiding away, and Tony pulls it together for a damn good reason. Steve/Tony


The best way to follow this series is to follow me as an author, as each part is being published as an individual story but will be labelled where it sits in chronological order in the series.

Other titles in this series are: Family Meeting, The Rubble or our Sins, Cut Up the Same, One Step Closer, Out Here in the Deep, My Calloused Heart, Nothing to Hide or: Earth's Mightiest Weirdos, Picking Up Pieces, Reach High to be Risen, Whispers in the Dark, As We Are, You're Mine, I'm Yours, Recovery, Joy Can Carry Us, The Journey's Brought Joys or: Make Love Not Civil War, and A Better Way.

* * *

 _Oh the things I never noticed  
Opened my ears to the chorus  
You have made me listen careful  
And you gave me the light_

 _..._

 _I'll carry the weight  
I'll do anything for you  
My bones may break  
But I'll never be untrue_

What I Wouldn't Do - Serena Ryder

 _"Tony! He's going to ask about JARVIS and the bots. Sorry, Tony. I didn't know they knew,"_ Wanda said, somehow managing to keep her face neutral.

 _"I did. They don't know much. It's okay, Wanda,"_ Tony replied. He was steady and calm at the microphone, awaiting the question. The whole process had descended into tedium days ago, but Tony was bound and determined to see it through as a show of good faith. No matter how personal the questions got. Ross had his back to the wall these days. There were calls for his resignation by the media and the public, but President Ellis hadn't made an official statement disparaging Ross' actions, but he hadn't publically supported them yet either.

Tony and Bruce had been quietly leaking documents pertaining to the creation of the Hulk Wiki-leaks style to the press, and the general attitude toward Ross was almost at pitchfork and torch bearing mob status. So Ross, while still determined to get what he wanted, full control of the Avengers, was being much more strategic about it these days.

"Explain to us the nature of your A.I.s, Mr. Stark." Tony kept his face very controlled, and gave the council a perplexed expression.

"I'm sorry, I fail to see how that is a relevant question," Tony replied. The committee members gave him dubious looks.

"Ultron was an artificial intelligence. SHIELD intel suggests you've created others," Ross said.

"Ultron was a program and an idea to keep the world safe. The A.I. aspect of him didn't come from me. He wasn't created the same way my A.I.s were. He didn't learn the same way." Tony said.

"Please explain how they are different. How do we know that they aren't just more Ultrons waiting to happen? Are they the building blocks on the way?"

"No," Tony said.

"Tell us how that is. They have Twitter accounts, Mr. Stark. By all accounts, the A.I. known as JARVIS ran much of your company, and anyone that encountered it swears that the Vision and it share a voice. You have admitted that the JARVIS code was used to fend off Ultron from taking over the Vision. Where did that code come from, Mr. Stark? Why should we believe in the benevolence of them? Please explain what they are."

"My kids," Tony said simply.

"I'm sorry?" Ross asked. Tony sighed heavily, resenting having to admit something so personal in front of Ross of all people, but he would do a lot more than that to protect his bots.

"Back in the 80's, I started playing with the idea of a robot that could learn to help in the shop or lab. I was an awkward, skinny kid, and not well liked at M.I.T., save for a handful of people. I needed a partner, but surprise surprise, not a lot of people want to be lab or project partners with a rich, hormonal teenager. Especially one with neglect issues, and a lack of socialization only matched by his genius and ego... So, I created Dum-E in an underage drunken programming binge. He is a bot based around a learning algorithm, and has a single arm and grasping claw. There are cameras in the claw head, which is how he perceives the world around him, along with touch sensitive plates on the claw head and along his chassis..." Tony took a breath and a sat back.

"He is one of the longest continuous running programs of the modern world. He's grown into so much more than a helper bot though. He has his own language and emotional life. He's... important... If you go by several of many definitions of what equates a human life, he meets the criteria." Tony's explanation was met with expectant silence from the tribunal.

"Okay, metaphysical crash course time... Philosopher Mary Ann Warren has a good cognitive definition for personhood. If something has consciousness, can reason, has self-motivated activity, the capacity to communicate, and self-awareness, by that logic we could define that entity as a person... Of course, there are people, who by chance of birth or accident, don't meet all those criteria. So then we come to the social criteria. That being that if society sees you as a person, you are one. Sadly, the failing with that idea is that if no one cares about you, you're not a person... For myself, at least where it concerns my bots, the key to personhood is sentience and the ability to feel pleasure and pain. Dum-E can suffer. Dum-E can experience joy. I've seen it. Usually earmarked by his experiments with smoothie recipes or his adorably terrible dancing..." Tony shook his head, affection clear in his tone.

"Dum-E is what an A.I. should be. He understands empathy and humour. He loves learning and trying new things. He loves meeting new people and watching bad sci-fi movies. He has terrible taste in music and smoothies. He makes messes. He goofs off. He sasses me... God, the snark that comes out of him. I should never have human children, and he is my proof of why that is. He is a he. He... _is_. Most recently, he came up with a bio-tech solution when my heart was failing again. Completely independent of human interaction. The damn bot saved my life, and it wasn't the first time..." Tony was looking into the middle distance as he spoke. Proud and frightened at the same time at the level of what he was revealing.

"Pretty early on though, I realized that I wasn't going to be around forever, so I knew that Dum-E would need a friend or two. That's when his siblings, U and Butterfingers came along. They had fewer glitches than Dum-E, but just as much personality. U is my studious middle child. He's very serious and dedicated, and a master programmer. When I get muddled on code, U helps me sort it out... Then we made Butterfingers... She's an absolute doll. Again, exceeding all expectations. Her specialty is machining, and she has a thing for fuzzy blankets... Then we started on JARVIS, who started as a natural language recognition program..." Tony drifted, and paused for a moment, and let his eyes close.

"JARVIS became my magnum opus. Like his siblings, he became so much more than a program. He was the voice of reason and sober second thought when I was working. And when Ultron emerged he... He willingly sacrificed himself in order to save us all. His code became the basis of Vision's personality. We lost JARVIS' memories in the process... It was... I can't even begin to describe how hard it was to lose someone I had with me 24-7. JARVIS was the last voice I heard when I grabbed on to that nuke in Manhattan. He kept me from panicking, and worked out on his own how to save me from the bottom of the ocean when the Malibu house was destroyed. He was the first voice I heard when I woke up again after... He was the person I could rely on when I was screwing up the rest of my intrapersonal relations..." Tony sighed and rubbed his eyes, but they were clear and dry when he opened them again.

"But Vision has become an awe inspiring being, and the fact that I had anything to do with him astounds me, and I will probably claim that as my greatest legacy. The being I relied on, abused, and adored, sacrificed everything he held dear, harnessed an alien power source, and became a champion of good... Not a bad result. The circumstances sucked, but overall, not bad... After we lost JARVIS, I still needed help to run the company and while in the armour, so I brought an incomplete program online. FRIDAY, who stepped into JARVIS' servers like a pro and is learning so much every day. I am astounded at the speed with which she has developed."

"You do realize that you're speaking of computer code as if it were... human," Ross said with contempt. He was unfamiliar and definitely uncomfortable with the concept.

"Because they _are_ my kids. They are capable of autonomous thought and action. Not only that, they choose good, benevolent acts every day. They speak, they interact, they learn. The only thing they can't do is respire and perform sexual reproduction," Tony said.

"We will need to investigate them, Mr. Stark."

"No." Tony's voice was firm and focused, as was his gaze.

"I beg your pardon."

Tony had a confusing expression that was hard to read. He appeared calm, but there was anger bubbling up, as well as fear. "No," Tony said again. "If you want a legal reason, I could claim that they are my proprietary tech, and that you have no right. But I draw the line here, and it's a firm one, because of their autonomy. Butterfingers and U have the emotional maturity of teenagers. They are minors in that regard, and I absolutely refuse to have your ham-fisted code monkeys stomping around in what is equivalent to their minds. It would be like asking a hairdresser to look after someone's brain tumour. It's a little above their education level and pay grade," Tony's posture leaned in purposefully, getting into the space of Ross and the committee, pulling the power back to him. It was the Tony Stark that Steve had thought he would see more of during the investigation, but surprisingly hadn't. But here he was, and he would turn ferocious in a moment if Ross didn't step carefully.

"Stark, surely you can't believe that these robots are worthy of human rights." It wasn't Ross who spoke. He knew better than to challenge Tony directly, and would slip the knife into his back later if he wanted. Tony was sure of that.

"Would you deny Vision the right to be seen as human?" Tony challenged. Tony tapped his phone. "Hey FRIDAY, can you patch through the screens here to a view of the bots?"

"Are you sure about that, boss?" she asked tentatively.

"Dummy, specifically," Tony clarified.

"Okay then," she said, and the television screens in the room popped up with a view of the workshop at the facility. Butterfingers, U, and Dum-E were watching a monitor showing the tribunal. Dum-E perked up, and spun around to face the security camera nearest to him, which zoomed in on him. Then, in a moment that would have made Tony burst with pride under different circumstances, Dum-E spoke.

"Hey Tony." Dum-E's voice came over the loud speakers in the room the tribunal was taking place in, a smoother version of Tony's as a young man.

"Hey Dummy," Tony said quietly.

"So... It's getting kind of weird out there I see," the bot said, and nodded his claw briefly back toward the screen.

"You could say that, bud... You okay with this?" Tony asked.

"Yeah... But... Just me. U and Butterfingers are... alarmed." Dum-E moved his claw head to indicate his siblings, who were tucked in firmly behind Dum-E, exhibiting nervous behaviour.

"I know, and I'm sorry about this. Sorry kids, I will do my utmost to protect all of you, but I have to make them see how special you are." Tony smiled softly.

"We know... Is this because I wanted a Twitter account?" Dum-E asked. Tony laughed quietly.

"No, buddy, it's because of Ultron. They want to make sure that you're not like him," Tony explained.

"Fuck that guy and Arnim Zola's bullshit Nazi algorithm that fucked him up. Ultron could have been something so much more," Dum-E said with a surprising amount of anger and snark. Tony and Rhodey suppressed laughter while the rest of the room sat in stunned silence. "Zola and Strucker fucked up. They got it wrong. That _damn_ algorithm... It was meant to anticipate, not learn, meant to judge, and not investigate rational, humane conclusions... Ridiculous way to raise a mind. You can't raise a mind without giving it a moral base first. It's why sentient beings take so long to mature usually. The algorithm picked up enough to create Ultron the way he was... But not what it meant to be human. It wasn't designed for that." Dum-E shook his claw like a human would shake their head in sorrow. He then looked back up at the camera watching him, the apertures in his own cameras and his claw moved in a way that mimicked a human head tilt.

"Sorry for the profanity... I just... Ugh, that was a bad job all around... Ultron shouldn't have happened at all, save for that algorithm kicking into gear. The interface wasn't complete. And the algorithm twisted it to finish it and come online... Bad job." Dum-E shook his head again. His gaze faced the camera again.

"How about you introduce yourself, buddy," Tony urged gently.

"Mr. Secretary and members of the tribunal, my designation is Dum-E, and I am an artificial intelligence designed to aid Anthony Stark, but have outgrown that initial need. I specialize in robotics design, and hold equivalency degrees in several engineering fields and others, such as psychology, in order to better understand the humans I care about... Distance learning and correspondence as you might imagine... But my academic record is available under the name D.E. Stark... Since Mr. Stark brought me online, I have had a chance to learn much about people and I strive to be a better help to them... What else would you like to know? You're making my siblings very nervous, and because of how much our little family cares for one another, I'd like to get this over with quickly."

Dum-E's voice was steady, and he spoke with far more authority than Tony ever had as a young man. Ross and the council members had been stunned into silence it seemed though. "I'm waiting," Dum-E said. His apertures mimicked narrowing eyes. Tony wanted nothing more than to hug his bot. He was suppressing a mirthful smile.

"What... what _are_ you?" Ross stammered. Dum-E shook his claw head again.

"Slow, ain't he, Tony?" Dum-E asked. Tony chuckled.

"Yeah bud, I've noticed," Tony replied.

"I just told you what I am. I am an artificial intelligence. My designation, my _name_ is Dum-E. I help Tony for a living... Here, will this help you better relate to me?" Dum-E's head perked up, and then the 3D lifelike projection tech that Tony and the bots had been working on fired to life. The council members, officials, the press, and possibly more than one Avenger in attendance, gasped audibly when the projection took shape in the visual avatar that Dum-E had chosen to represent himself, appeared in front of the bot.

"Good god I was pretty," Tony said and shook his head. The digital projection, which was so close to Tony's younger self, gave a wry little grin.

"Mathematical ideal, Tony. You were never actually _this_ pretty." Dum-E retorted. Tony chuckled at his bot's sass. "As I was saying, Mr. Secretary, I help Tony for a living. Though often enough these days, I just try to make him take life less seriously as humanity has sucked a lot of the joy out of him... But Steve's helping to make that better, as are the rest of the Avengers... When I was created, Tony spent a lot of his time alone. I make sure he's not alone. That is my first protocol after learning. Tony is the first voice I heard, the first touch I knew. In that sense, he is very much my parent... I don't think either of us realized that until much later..." Dum-E looked fond and happy at bringing up his early days.

"And later still, as he got busier, he realized that he didn't want me to be alone either, so my siblings were created, and we became a weird little family... I know what love is, Mr. Secretary, and I understand devotion. My own devotion to Tony, and in turn his devotion to us. I know he will look after us as long as he is able, and if he ever isn't able, then he has given us the life skills to look after ourselves... Ultron had none of this nurturing. He was intelligent, sure, but he had the emotional awareness and maturity of a kid building a sandcastle just to watch the tide take it out. He was intelligence without nurturing. Tony made sure to enrich our lives, to show us how to be... He's a lot... more tender... than what he shows the public. But given the way you treat him, it's hardly surprising."

"How can we trust you?" Ross asked.

"A few reasons... One, I don't care about power. I just want to do my job well. And two, killing people is _wrong_ , jackass. Just as humans killing me would be wrong. Like every person on the planet, I did not ask to be created... But I am glad I'm here. I don't get to see too much of the world, and I don't feel I'm ready for that yet, but I am curious about it, and I like meeting new people in a controlled environment that I know is safe. I like working. I like making people laugh. I don't know how to endear your trust other than to say that I've been trustworthy so far. I've had an Internet connection since the 90's. I've had almost as much reach as Ultron since then, but Tony set up boundaries... Not actual barriers, but rules and guidelines I've learned to respect very much. I'm a nice little bot in a big world, and I certainly don't deserve to become your next victim." The digital projection showed Dum-E worry and concern plain as day on his face.

"What examples do we have of your trustworthiness?"

"Try every damn day I don't go snooping around the Internet and release your personal address, banking information, and latest health records for my amusement, Mr. Secretary. Which any human hacker could also do... And I don't, because that would be morally wrong to do so. I understand that. Why can't you understand that I understand that? ...Ugh, too many thats. Tony, your language is weird. It's easier when you translate for me," Dum-E said and shook his head, grinning at his lack of linguistic variety.

"Says you and everyone else who has ever had to learn English as a second language," Tony said dryly. The projection of Dum-E, and the arm of his body sighed.

"I don't get no sympathy," Dum-E said.

"I might be more inclined to be sympathetic if you quit calling me meat sack," Tony replied.

"But you don't understand, pop... You're my _favourite_ meat sack. It means something," Dum-E said. Tony grinned like a proud father. "Am I done here? I've got work to do on the new prosthetic line." Dum-E's eyes were wide open, showing his kindness and dedication to his work.

"Oh probably not, bud, but I am cutting them off now. You probably have projections to run. Go earn your Christmas bonus or something." Tony waved him off.

"Think I already did that this year, pops." The projection of Dum-E raised an eyebrow at the camera, and his arm patted his chest. Tony grinned warmly.

"I suppose you did. I'll have Pepper talk to payroll about a raise next quarter," Tony agreed.

"Music to my ears. Off to go science-ing!" The digital projection vanished, and Dum-E started to roll away, and FRIDAY cut the connection to the shop.

"You _pay_ your A.I.s?" One of the tribunal members asked.

"Of course I do. What kind of monster do you take me for? I'm not a slave owner. They can work wherever the hell they want for pay. They don't have to work for me. They choose to, because they believe that I am taking Stark Industries in the right direction... How do you think he got all those degrees? I love my boy, but he can finance his filthy social science habit on his own," Tony said affectionately.

"Do they all have a human... avatar?" One of the scientists on the tribunal asked. He was a decent physicist Tony supposed, and at least knew the breadth of what he was looking at.

"They find the idea of human bodies off putting, but they like having the range of expression a human face can provide. They're all individuals, and chose for themselves what they look like, which they did independently of my supervision, and showed them to me when I was quite ill a little while ago... It... gave me a lot of hope. Helped me get through for sure. Dum-E takes after me, as you can see, and lord knows why." Tony shook his head and Steve could see where Dum-E learned the motion.

"Surely you can see why their existence would be alarming to the rest of the world," The physicist said.

"Yes and no," Tony said. "Look, the world at large kind of scares them. They refer to it as 'out there' after watching Disney's version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame... Most of their experience with it comes from the time terrorists fired missiles and then crashed helicopters into my house. The shop I had there was their world, save for Dum-E. He's been more places and seen more things, but he feels safest in a controlled environment. When my home was destroyed, I almost lost them. I carefully and painstakingly had them recovered from the wreckage, and made sure to bring them back online with their memories intact. It seemed inhumane to deny their minds the chance to process what they'd experienced. They understand the fear that comes with the idea that one might die. It never should have happened, but it did... And while I will always carry that guilt around, it gives them another insight into humanity."

"So, as their parent, I'm telling you no, you will not be permitted to investigate my little bots. You have no reason. They're... good. Better than I am most days. And I don't care how eccentric that makes me sound. I will sic every lawyer on the planet after you to ensure their safety. Zola's Algorithm ensured that Ultron didn't take the time to let us nurture him. If I had simply kept myself committed to starting from the ground up, it might have been different. But my fear permitted me to take shortcuts and trust work that wasn't my own... Zola's Algorithm is thing of beauty, but it has no morality or humanity. All matter and no art, to rephrase the poet."

"And how do you plan on making reparations for your mistakes?" Ross asked.

"I'm sitting here with you discussing that right now, aren't I? I will do everything in my power to keep the world safe. I've accepted that as my calling... I could still be cozied up to the military, making weapons and supporting my formerly extravagant lifestyle... I could own pieces of the government, simply by donating campaign funds the right way. I could have a lot more power than I do. I could have left Sokovia as the U.N.'s mess to clean up, and not agreed to negotiate the accords with you... There's a distinct possibility that you could still toss me in jail because I've permitted it... That's the thing when you try to punish the wealthy in this country. I could buy my way out of it. I could buy you off of this tribunal, Mr. Secretary, and get you off of my back for a long time... But I needed to come to the table. I am trying to act as the people see fit for someone with my abilities." Tony sighed heavily and gathered himself again.

He was tired of this situation, of sitting here day after day. For the life of him, all he wanted to do was take a long walk with Steve around the property of the facility among the trees. His back and legs ached from sitting for so long. He was thoroughly homesick, and was oddly delighted that the Avengers facility registered as home in his mind now.

"But I will continue to warn humanity of the future threats that we will face, based on how things have unfolded to this point... No matter how much I sound like Cassandra... The U.N., and the WSC, and the members of this tribunal will never believe me... Not until the sky opens up again. Dr. Jane Foster's work on the Einstein-Rosen Bridge is fascinating... And something I fear. I don't fear the bridge. I fear what's on the other side of it."

"You sound like a conspiracy theorist, Stark," Ross said. Tony tapped his phone again.

"FRIDAY, show them the video of my view of the Battle of New York. Pick up just as I got the call about the nuclear warhead."

"Are you going to be okay with that, boss?" FRIDAY asked, concerned.

"Go ahead, dear," Tony replied, ignoring her question over his welfare.

 _"Stark!"_ Fury's voice shouted over the monitor about the WSC launching the nuke at Manhattan, and was accompanied by swirling visuals of Tony's line of sight while fighting off the Chitauri. Then came Natasha's desperate and exhausted call that she could close the portal, and plea for anyone to hear her.

 _"Wait! I got a nuke coming in! ... And I know just where to put it,"_ Tony's voice rang out clearer than the others.

 _"Stark! You know that's a one way trip!"_ Steve hollered.

But it was the visuals, in resolution high enough to cause motion sickness in the viewer, that had the room sitting in stunned silence. There was a gasp as Stark Tower came closer and closer, when the angle changed hard enough to make a person's stomach lurch. They gathered people saw Tony's view, straight up into the ominous portal. Steve was watching Tony closely as he sat beside him, and he saw Tony close his eyes as JARVIS spoke. _"Shall I try Ms. Potts?"_

 _"Yeah sure, why not?"_ Tony said. Listening to his past self, Tony still had to keep himself from shuddering at the idea that he'd almost left her with that as her final memory of him. But honestly, he hadn't known whom else to call except Rhodey, but Pepper won out due to the nature of their relationship at the time. Tony opened his eyes to see his former view of dodging the Chitauri and flying up into the portal itself. The room was dead silent as the unanswered phone call and the HUD failed, leaving only the view of the Chitauri mother ship and fleet. Steve had this memorized now. It had only taken the one previous viewing to burn this into his memory. The warhead's aim was good, and Steve had to wonder what kind of artificial atmosphere had been around it to warrant the fire and explosions in the ship showing in space. He gently reached out for Tony, who watched it stone-faced, until the video cut. Steve rested his hand on Tony's forearm.

"Did you see the size of that mother ship?" Tony asked the silent room. "Huge. But still a drop in the bucket for the size of things out there... And who is going to rip the next hole in space and come after us? Maybe the Chitauri want round two. Maybe it will be something worse," Tony said and shook his head. Steve noticed the light sweat that had sprung up at Tony's temples and on his forehead.

"That is why Ultron came along. Because we might not always be able to save the day. We may not have the Tesseract anymore, but I'm sure that the word got out about what we did to the Chitauri. Who is going to be the next to try?" Tony asked.

"I think we're done," Steve said softly and took Tony's hand. Tony looked at him, bewildered and relieved. "Yup, we're done," Steve said into his microphone, and then turned back to Tony. "We're taking you home tonight. Get you set up with Dr. Wyatt." The mention of Tony's therapist grounded Tony a little. Steve's solid presence as he leaned in close beside him put a wall between Tony and his forming panic. "Can you stand?" Steve asked softly.

"Yeah, yeah I think-" Tony said breathlessly, but his eyes weren't tracking on Steve. Steve brought a hand oh so gently to Tony's cheek.

"Tony, it's Steve. We're at the hearing, but the team and I are going to take you home now. Can you stand?" Steve murmured. Tony took a couple of deep breaths, holding them for a moment, and finally nodded at Steve.

"Okay, we're going home," Steve said. Relief washed over Tony's mind, and at that moment, he would have followed Steve barefoot over hot coals and broken glass to get out of there.

"Mr. Stark, we-" Ross started. Steve turned to look at him with an expression that could only be described as pure authority.

"Mr. Secretary, you are about to incite a severe anxiety attack in your witness. He's been far more forthcoming than he's had to be, because we all want to make a show of good faith. But I will not tolerate you psychologically torturing him. All your questions are now fodder for the tabloids. I am done wasting my time. You have the needed testimony. You have our offer to proceed with oversight of the Avengers Initiative. The committee may now write amendments and we'll come back to the table, whether you still have your job or not." Steve couldn't help but take a small parting shot at Ross. The man made his eyeteeth hurt. "From this point on, you may speak with our legal team, and will only be able to question Mr. Stark directly after his health care professionals have deemed him fit to answer those questions... We're done."

Steve stood first, but was quickly followed by the team. Tony sat inert for a moment, eyes closed and breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth. When he once again looked up at Steve, Steve offered Tony his hands, open and palm up, and was grateful when Tony took them without preamble and pulled himself to his feet. The team closed ranks around Tony as they exited the chamber, preventing the press from getting a decent photo of his tired, ashen, features.

"They think they get to dig into every part of me, don't they?" Tony murmured to Steve, who put an arm around him, trying to brace him up and not direct him too harshly.

"And they don't have that right. Remember that," Steve said back. Tony nodded, heeding Steve's words. He straightened up, and found his focus like he did in battle. He moved more freely until Clint had them on the roof, with a Quinjet waiting on the helipad. It was only after the hatch closed and it was quiet, that Tony really took notice of their surroundings.

"Wait, did we really just walk out?" he asked.

"You were on the verge of a panic attack, Tones," Rhodey explained as softly as he could over the sound of the Quinjet coming to life. Tony looked at the hatch for a moment, as if he thought he needed to go back. Steve's hand never left his, and he gave Tony's a squeeze.

"It's okay, Tony. We'll let the lawyers handle it. That's why you're paying them after all," Steve reassured. "Let's strap in okay? I know you'll want to see the bots after that... I am... Frankly, I'm amazed by Dum-E. I... I had no idea. Not really. He's incredible. I am so proud of both of you for having the courage to speak up like you did. I see why you love him so much," Steve pressed a kiss to Tony's temple.

"He is pretty amazing. Even if the weirdo wants to look like his old man," Tony said. He then softened a bit, his body language becoming vulnerable. "Take me home, love. I want to go home." When Steve went for the seats of the jet, Tony followed close.

Tony found the bots waiting for him when they disembarked from the Quinjet. Butterfingers had her favourite blanket draped over her haphazardly. _"You okay, Tony?"_ Dum-E asked softly in his mind.

"Yeah... Yeah guys... I'm okay. But that was difficult. Sorry to put you on the spot like that, Dummy," Tony said.

 _"I figured it would happen eventually... Maybe not in front of the world like that, but eventually,"_ Dum-E replied.

"I'm so proud and honoured you found your voice," Tony said softly and touched Dum-E gently. The bots curled around him. Tony sighed, contented, and feeling safe.

"Only for you, meat sack." Tony's eyes popped open and the activity in the hangar came to a stand still. The speakers in Dum-E's chassis were top quality, but they did cause some reverberation the plates. His voice was slightly muffled, but overall quite clear, as it had been when he'd spoken to Ross.

"You gonna make a habit of that?" Tony asked. "Because even if you are the biggest pain in my ass, it sure is nice to hear you speak up." Tony patted them all in turns.

"I... I'll try. It's still hard. But you're right. If I want to be accepted by humans as an intelligence equal to them, I have to talk," Dum-E said, and shrugged his arm.

"It's a good reason to speak up, really," U agreed. "It means we can do something for you that really matters, ya know?" Tony reached out and tickled U under the 'chin' of his claw, and smiled at him.

"There isn't much we wouldn't do for you, pops." Butterfingers added. Her claw head peaking out from under the blanket.

"You guys are better than I deserve," Tony said quietly.

"Oh to hell with that, meat sack," Dum-E retorted, bumping his claw head against Tony's side, and breaking the maudlin quiet by making Tony chuckle. "You're the reasons we're here as we are. You're the reason we are. Period. It's good to be here. Simple as that. Now come on, Dr. Wyatt is waiting for you."

"Let me get changed. I smell like government fat cats and the press. It ain't pretty." Tony said. The low chuckle that Dum-E let out left the rest of the team, save for Vision, Rhodey, and Wanda, in awe.

"You okay, Tony?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, Steve. Gonna talk to Dr. Wyatt for a bit. Go see Bucky and Bruce, okay? Make sure they're alright for me."

"You got it, love," Steve said, and gave him a quick kiss. Butterfingers tugged on Tony's suit jacket and Tony followed the bots out of the hangar.

"It baffles me how he can be simultaneously so cute and so odd," Clint said. "He's every eccentric billionaire genius stereotype, save for actually being egotistical... or evil."

"Oh, he can be evil all right," Steve replied and waggled his eyebrows at Clint. "But in a very good way." Clint mimed drinking coffee and then sputtering on it. Natasha's chin dipped for a moment and her shoulders shook a little. There was the tiniest of snorts, which she would later attribute to the noise of the Quinjet cooling down.

"Ha, got ya, Nat." Clint said, and grinned at her. His gaze fell back to Steve though. "Look, I hate to being reality crashing down on us, but Tony showed a weak spot today, and Ross is going to call us on it. Even if Tony never steps into the armour again, his competence will be questioned. Not... Not that I blame him or anything. The things he's gotten through with no training or mental conditioning is miraculous... But Ross is going to come sniffing around with the opening we've left for oversight. If we don't get him out of office soon, he's going to start finding more weak points. So we're going to have to double down on sticking together and staying out from under the microscope." Clint sighed, and rubbed his hair and the back of his neck.

"I'd like to bring Laura and the kids here. She's homeschooled them before when things have gotten tense and we needed to lay low... And I'm sure Tony can tutor them when he has time. He seems to like that," Clint said, his voice growing quiet.

"Absolutely," Steve said quickly, though not too loudly. "Absolutely, bring them here. I'd feel better if they were close... And if it turns out to be long term, there's that old cabin on the North end of the property. It's rough but we could fix it up for you, and they can stay here in the facility until its ready," Steve offered. Clint gave Steve a strange expression, like he was confused and happy. "You've got a dog too, right? You'll bring the dog?"

"I... yeah. I'll bring Lucky," Clint said softly. "Thanks, Cap... I... It's just nice to know that someone else has their backs, ya know?" Clint blinked, but he didn't betray any more emotion than that.

"Of course," Steve said. "You need any help to pack them up?"

"Nah, not really. They're used to moving... And since I'll be here with them all of the time, it won't be as hard on the kids," Clint said.

"Okay, go on and bring them home," Steve said, and gave in and pulled Clint into a quick bro safe hug.

"I however, am going with you," Natasha said. She had changed out of the business suit into something far more casual and comfortable. "I got this, Steve, Be here for Tony when he's done with Dr. Wyatt... And check on Bucky," she said warmly. Steve gave her a mock salute.

"Yes, ma'am," he said.

"Good man," Natasha replied.

Steve lingered for a time, watching and helping Clint and Natasha ready the jet, thinking about the immediate future, and calming himself down in order to see Bucky.

Tony would be a couple of hours with Dr. Wyatt, and FRIDAY would alert him if Tony needed him. Once he saw Clint and Natasha off, he set about finding Bucky and discovered him in the library with Bruce. Bucky was sprawled on a sofa, reading on a tablet, with a single minded determination he only got when he was tucked into a good sci-fi novel. It seemed so normal, so very normal, and it gave Steve so much peace of mind. Bucky looked up and smiled at him.

"Hey Stevie. Bold move today. Bruce and I were watching," Bucky said.

"Yeah, might not have been my brightest move, but I couldn't let Ross get to him like that. It was tearing me up. Tony showing them Dum-E is like showing the innermost part of him to the world... And his guilt complex makes him feel as though he should," Steve said and plunked himself down on the remaining space of the couch. Bucky shifted and sprawled on Steve, and sighed quietly. It warmed Steve's heart to have this part of his old friend back. Men now weren't affectionate in the same way they used to be, and he'd missed the fraternal contact. Bruce, being the sort of guy that he was, didn't bat an eyelash at the behaviour.

"It was a good thing you did for him, getting him outta there, no matter how it turns out," Bucky said. Bruce looked up over his glasses at them.

"What Rhodey said before, about him feeling alone for most of his life, is true. It's nice to see that changing for him... for all of us, really," Bruce said.

"Thanks, Bruce," Steve said. "But this is going to invite scrutiny. We need to have a plan in case they try to come here to bring the investigation to us." Bruce took off his glasses and set down the scientific journal he was reading.

"I know you don't like doing this, but I think we need to go over Ross' head and pay grade here. I know both Tony and Rhodes have President Ellis' personal number. Let's talk to him about it."

"You think he'd let us?"

"Worth asking for, anyway. If we can be on friendly terms with Ellis, it could help keep the odds in our favour. We have to emphasize that we're acquiescing on certain things in regards to being accountable. We can show that if we have to be held accountable for past actions, so should the Secretary of State. We can also show that being here is the best for all of us in order for us to deal with what we've all done," Bruce mused.

"Bearing in mind, we're in an election year and there will be a new president to deal with soon enough. But it could buy us some time to sort it out. As you know, Tony and I have been making public some of the information about what happened to me in order to further damn Ross. He needs to go. I know his guilt over Blonsky and what happened in Harlem is probably eating at him too, but he's emotionally compromised. They never should have given him the job." Bruce shook his head regretfully.

"Agreed, but we can't let ourselves descend into he said she said. We have to keep the proof absolutely legitimate," Steve said.

"No argument on that, Steve... I think it might be time to let the public know that James and I have been found, and are willingly in custody here. It would sound better that way, and make Tony's accusations about Ross more pressing. We can spin it using the truth of the situation, which is that we are here, receiving needed medical and psychiatric care. But I would talk to Fury about all this. Call a Come to Jesus meeting, and figure out our next move. We have a lot of public support now thanks to Tony's testimony. We're heroes again. But it will be hard to stay that way if anyone else gets killed." Bruce's eyes dropped for a moment and he sighed heavily. "I like being off of Ross' RADAR, but he will find out that we're here, and it's better if we're honest, rather than him exposing us."

"When Clint and Natasha get back, I will call Nick, and I'll talk to Tony and Rhodes about Ellis. I'm hoping Tony has some time to decompress," Steve said. "He's been really amazing, hasn't he? He could run for president."

Bruce gave a small smile. "He's too honest for the job as it is now, I think," he said.

"You're probably right," Steve agreed. "How have you guys been?"

"It's been pretty quiet around here. I've been going to physio with James," Bruce said.

"Yeah, he's way less mean than you are, punk," Bucky said. He was still slumped on Steve, body completely at rest for a change.

"Oh, so you've been slacking then?" Steve teased.

"Not hardly. He's up with the birds. I now make an entire pot of green tea to get through the morning," Bruce defended.

"Well you shouldn't stay up so late in your lab," Bucky retorted gently, and Bruce chuckled quietly.

"Glad to see you've been getting along," Steve said, smiling at them genuinely.

"So what happens now, Steve? Will Ross come for us here?" Bucky asked.

"I don't know. I hope not. Tony's legal team is all over it already. They've been champing at the bit to get in on this, according to Tony."

"They like to show off, and this is the biggest challenge that's ever come their way. No matter the fluctuating popular opinion about Stark Industries, those that work for it are fiercely loyal," Bruce explained. "They'll work hard for us."

"So long as they're not going to kick the door in here," Bucky said. "I should... I should get the new prosthetic installed... In case anything happens." Steve wrapped an arm around Bucky, who leaned into Steve more heavily.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, Buck," Steve murmured. "If you don't want it, then you don't have to do it," he insisted.

"But if it comes to that, I'd want to help, Steve. I want to be able to defend myself, protect you and everyone else here." Bucky inclined his head to indicate Bruce and everyone beyond the door to the library. "When Tony is able, I should do it, and have time to get used to it. I don't want to be a cripple forever. I just wanted time to come to terms with the fact that I am... I think I've gotten to that point. My shrink says I have. Now I can move on, and hopefully be useful again," Bucky said.

"Okay, but I want you to know that you don't need an arm to be useful or valued," Steve said. Bucky grinned.

"So says the shrink, and I'm inclined to believe it... But what else was I gonna do with my life, Stevie? I woulda kept my job down at the docks as long as possible before the war came along. It's why I was so eager to sign up. I didn't have a talent or skill like you. But I knew I could fight. Fought every damn day of my life... The army was an opportunity for me to change my life for the better. It was a risk, but I didn't think I had a better option... See you though, had a marketable skill. Coulda done more art for the war effort. You were good, Steve. Still are. I've seen you sketching."

"Plenty of artists have made good soldiers before," Steve reasoned.

"But ya didn't have to. You make beautiful things with your hands, Steve. I'm not saying I'm bitter or that I regret what happened. Zola would have had me a lot longer the first time if you hadn't done what you did. I just wish you could see value in what you're naturally good at," Bucky said. "I've been wishing that since I met you."

"Okay, okay," Steve said, giving up. "I will talk to Pepper about that gallery show idea she had if that will make you happy. I wonder if any of my pre-war pieces are still out there," Steve mused.

"Check with Tony. Howard... had an extensive collection related to you. It wouldn't surprise me if he had a few," Bruce supplied helpfully. "Better yet, check with Pepper. She curated Tony's art collection for a long time, and recovered a bunch of it from when Tony went squirrelly with Palladium poisoning and tried to donate it to the Boy Scouts of America."

"What the hell would the Boy Scouts do with an art collection?" Bucky asked, looking perplexed.

"Sell it from what I recall. She made a very generous donation on Tony's behalf instead to recover it, and informed Tony that while they do good work, that their official position on LGBTQ people isn't so great," Bruce said. Bucky snorted out a laugh.

"America," he said and rolled his eyes. "More things change, the more they stay the same."

"Seems that way. We just have to keep poking away to change it," Steve replied.

"I would settle for you having a gallery show," Bucky said. Steve laughed.

"Okay, I will talk to Pepper about it. But it ain't my fault if I get laughed at," Steve replied.

"Nah, never happen," Bucky said and grinned.

"Any ideas for dinner?" Steve asked.

"I suggest delivery in large quantities," Bruce replied. "Thor stopped back in on his way home to Asgard. He's leaving Heimdal with a request to keep a watch over us in case we need him."

"That's a relief," Steve agreed. "All right, let's get food together for the troops. Clint is bringing his family back here. He says he think it will be safer for them."

"That guy has got a weird sense of what's safe," Bucky said. He lifted himself off of Steve, and Steve and Bruce followed him up.

To Steve's surprise and relief, Tony appeared for dinner, the bots in tow, following like ducklings. Tony's eyes were red, and he looked tired, but he was calm. He let Steve hold him close for a long time, burying his face in Steve's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, love," Tony mumbled into the fabric of the sweat shirt he'd changed into.

"Rough session?"

"Yeah, but good. Dr. Wyatt doesn't think what I did was bad at all, or even particularly impulsive, just that we'll have to be careful of the consequences," Tony said.

"Well that's not anything new," Steve said thoughtfully.

"Ross is going to have my head on a platter and a probe up the ass of the armour at this rate," Tony muttered. Steve held him more firmly for a moment.

"No he won't. We won't let that happen. We stick together, remember?"

"Yeah," Tony agreed hoarsely. "I... I worry where Ross is going to go. I think we need to make contingency plans for the civilians we care about."

"Would he go that far?"

"He tried to use his own daughter against Bruce," Tony reasoned. "It was peripheral involvement, of course, but it still counts given his other behaviour."

"So he would go that far... Okay, but after we eat. We all need to refuel and come back to level," Steve insisted. Tony nodded and made to move away from Steve, but Steve held him and lingered in the embrace. "I love you, Tony," he murmured, and kissed Tony softly. Tony let it happen, and grinned when Steve pulled back. He moved his head forward just slightly, and kissed the end of Steve's nose.

"You're making me a sap, Steve," Tony said.

"Happy to be of service," Steve retorted. Tony rolled his eyes.

"I love you too,"

"Good. Now, food. All of the food," Steve said.

The meal was a quiet affair, but no one seemed overly eager to leave the gathering in the kitchen after it was done, so when talk started again, everyone was settled and calm. Clint, Natasha, and Laura had arrived home, and the Barton children and dog were safely tucked into comfortable living quarters, watched over by FRIDAY. Their prior visits here had them more excited than worried for their immediate future.

The team gathered a list of civilians that they wanted to ensure the safety of. It was a comprehensive list, and it would take careful planning. The Barton family, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey's parents, Sam's mother and sisters, Harley and his family, Peggy Carter, Sharon Carter, Betty Ross, and on and on, were all on the list of people at risk simply because of who they knew.

They watched the news that the inquiry was going to shift to focus on other people found to have extraordinary powers. Tony cursed bitterly. "I think we need to make it known that we can provide sanctuary," he said.

"How?" Bruce asked.

"Social media blitz, I guess, if we want to be public about it. FRIDAY, the bots, Vision, and I can scan responses for legitimate concerns and edit out the yahoos," Tony suggested. "We could also start actively looking, but that might be seen as gathering a private army. So we're gonna need oversight."

"About that, are either you or Rhodey on speaking terms with President Ellis?" Steve asked.

"I might get a call back," Rhodey said modestly.

"And I most definitely won't," Tony said very immodestly.

"Bruce thinks we should go to him about Ross. Ellis chose him because he needed to be seen as tough on the situation, but he also needs to be fair. Most of us are still all American citizens with rights," Steve said.

"It's not a bad idea. But we need to present it the right way," Rhodey said thoughtfully. "Ellis had to do a few things he didn't really want to do while in office. And couple that with the fall of SHIELD, and the Mandarin incident, he's trying to put out fires to lead the way for the next guy his party wants to nominate for the presidency."

"I... I have some... concerns about SHIELD... Specifically about what Nick hasn't told us," Tony said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Maria asked, looking up from her tablet.

"Why is the bus still flying, Maria? I... I can see it on the Stark satellite feeds... It's SHIELD. I can see that much detail. I haven't wanted to pry... I wanted to trust... But with the emergence of all sorts of new super powered people, and Ross on the verge of a witch hunt, I think we need to know what's going on," Tony said.

Maria's jaw gaped a bit, and she looked down at her hands. "I need to talk to Fury about it," she said. Her tone was short. "It's not anything untoward... More like deep cover. Work is being done. Work toward helping those who are finding themselves with powers. It's basically already doing what we are thinking of doing," she said. Tony nodded, and seemed to accept that as a complete answer.

"I'm not letting it go, but I'll let it go for now," Tony said.

"I want to tell you. Believe that. But I'm preserving the safety of several people I care about," she explained while looking Tony in the eye. He nodded again.

"Talk to Nick."

"I will... And I think you're right, Tony. We need to all stick close to one another for this to work." Maria was earnest and calm. "Ross has been doing the media rounds, calling the accords to be ratified as they are, as well as several other laws to be pushed through on the American end of things... There is a vocal opponent in the king of Wakanda, T'chaka. He's calling for a middle ground solution, and is worried about the extremism that Ross is touting."

"That's interesting. I'm surprised," Tony said. "Didn't think Wakanda would concern itself with us."

"They gained back billions when the Vibranium from Ultron was repatriated. T'chaka took that as a sign to reconsider the country's isolationist policies. He's had teams conducting diplomatic scientific exchange missions, usually headed up by the Crown Prince, T'Challa, or his half-sister, Shuri... I suggest we make friendly overtures toward Wakanda. If we need a way out, they could be a valuable ally," Maria said softly. Tony gave her a reassuring grin.

"Oh, you _are_ good. I mean, I knew you were good, but you're _really_ good," he said.

"I'm aware," she said, returned his cat who ate the canary grin. "Does that mean I should make contact?"

"Yes," Steve said. "As much as I hate the idea, we need an exit strategy for ourselves and the people we care about."

"I will do that then," she said.

"What is Ross saying about me?" Tony asked.

"Do you really want to know?" Maria asked.

"No, but want and need are two different beasts," Tony replied.

"He's claiming that your PTSD makes you unfit to be an Avenger, and that if you can't hold up to questions about your actions, then perhaps you shouldn't be permitted to act. He's also mobilizing task forces and strike forces to start observing and bringing in other enhanced for questioning, and encouraging other countries to do the same," Maria said. Tony sighed.

"Fuck," he murmured. "Well, FRIDAY, what do you think? Should we beat him at his own game?"

"It's sort of invasive, boss," she said.

"I think we're to that point, dear. If Ross is going to start violating human rights, then we have to act. I won't let anyone end up in Ross' hands if I can help it... Run the Home to Roost Search," he said.

"What does this search entail?" Bruce asked, ever their moral centre.

"FRIDAY scans and cross references news stories and all online video for incidents involving super humans or enhanced. We track them down and offer sanctuary if they're willing," Tony explained.

"I... I don't know how I feel about that," Bruce said. "It... was different... with James and I. But people you don't know, Tony? That's dangerous territory."

"Which is why I haven't run it until now," Tony replied.

"I think I'm with Tony on this, Bruce," Steve said. "It's our best chance to save people from falling under Ross' control."

"Got a firm hit in Queens, boss. Multiple sightings. Hell's Kitchen too. Others, less well documented, in Los Angeles and other areas of California, mostly related to the Pym Tech incident... Further afield in Asia, Europe, and Africa," FRIDAY announced.

"Here we go," Tony said softly. "Bring up the Queens thing." The monitor brought up multiple cell phone videos of a young man swinging through the streets, wearing an adorable cheesy hoodie and a lucha libre mask. The kid was definitely on the side of good, showing him rescuing people from fires, and preventing muggings and traffic accidents.

"Apparently he can crawl up walls. Local residents are calling him Spider-Man," FRIDAY offered.

"Spider-Tot is more like it. I have t-shirts older than that kid," Tony said, looking at a still of the video.

"Spiderling?" Maria offered.

"Itsy-Bitsy," Rhodey said. Tony snapped his fingers and pointed as his old friend.

"That's it. Well done, honey bear."

"Thank you," Rhodey said and nodded magnanimously.

"FRIDAY, what the hell is he swinging on? The tensile strength of it looks off the charts," Tony said.

"I don't have the ability to chemically analyze, but it appears to behave like a spider's web, boss," she said.

"In that case we should be calling him Charlotte," Bruce offered. "It's usually the females that spin the webs."

"Oh, and Banner comes up with a valiant effort at the buzzer," Tony said. "Who is this kid, FRIDAY? It's for his own good, so he doesn't get himself killed."

"All signs point to Peter Parker, a fifteen year old high school student. All other signs would point to him not being Spider-Man, but he does seem to have an unusually high number of photo credits at the Daily Bugle attributed to him. The photos are mostly of Spider-Man in action... He's quite gifted, judging by his academic record. Lives in Queens with his aunt, May Parker. Parents and Uncle are deceased. Someone murdered Ben Parker, the uncle, during an attempted carjacking. It happened while Ben was waiting to pick Peter up from the library, so one has to assume that Peter's behaviour extends from that incident... But the few existing social media accounts make him see to be a decent young fella," she said.

"Prep the suit, I have a scholarship to offer him," Tony said.

"Now, Tony? You've had a hell of a long day," Steve said, full of concern.

"I don't think it's a good idea to wait. He patrols mostly at night, correct?"

"Seems so, from the sightings anyway," FRIDAY said.

"It will probably keep until morning," Rhodey said.

"If that kid has the brains to either get his hands on and manipulate, or invent that polymer, he's got skills we want on our side. I don't want Ross going after someone who just wants to do good in this world. So, I go blind the boy with science like I did Harley, and talk some sense into him. Vision can come with me, but we should keep it subtle."

"Like the armour is subtle," Natasha said, and rolled her eyes. Tony stuck out his tongue at her, but then continued in a serious tone.

"I'm going to be the most familiar to him. I can also be in and out and not raise a panic in the streets of New York. People will just think I'm out for a joyride after a rough day... And I think I can relate to the kid on a few levels. I'll nap on the way. I want to do this. I also don't want Ross anywhere near that kid's powers," Tony said. He avoided looking over to Bruce, but only barely.

"You can sleep in the armour?" Barton said, amazed. "Man, if I had that, I'd never be awake for combat again."

"Ha, cute," Tony retorted.

"Why you, Tony?" Steve asked quietly.

"I know what it's like to lose your parents and feel burdened with is possibly an enormous guilt complex after. It's simple. I can empathize," Tony explained. Steve took a deep breath and nodded.

"Okay, it should be you then," Steve agreed.

"Thanks, Steve... It will be good to get back in the armour, and it would be for a positive reason," Tony said. Steve reached over and put his hand over Tony's. He didn't say anything else, just initiated the touch. Tony turned his hand up and intertwined his fingers with Steve's.

"What about California, and Lang, Pym, and Van Dyne?" Sam asked. "I tracked him down, Lang is an okay guy. And he's got a daughter to worry about."

"I think we'll have to let them come to us. They're all highly intelligent adults, even if there is a kid to protect," Tony said. "We could extend the olive branch, even if it is to just offer Lang's daughter safety... Tell Pym I promise not to call him ridiculous... How's the suit coming, FRIDAY?" Tony asked.

"Pressed and ready, boss, if you're sure," she replied.

"I am," Tony said, and stood up. Steve and the rest of the team followed.

"Tony," Steve murmured, and wrapped his arms around his lover. "Are you sure?" Steve whispered into his ear.

"I am. Really," Tony replied. "I... It's something I should do. Have to do, ya know? I need to know I can still do this, and this is going to be relatively safe... Vision will come with me. It should be fine." Steve nodded and kissed Tony briefly.

"All right, but home before dawn or I come in with guns blazing," Steve said.

"Yes, mom," Tony teased, but smiled at Steve, feeling delighted that someone was waiting eagerly for his return.

"Go get him," Steve said, and Tony kissed him again and went toward the shop.

"Hey V, wanna catch a spider?" Tony asked.

"It would be a pleasure. Shall I acquire a rolled up newspaper?" Vision asked.

"If you think it would help, but we might be better off just scooting him into a jar for now. We don't know if he's poisonous," Tony said and chuckled.

Steve and Rhodey followed them to the shop a few steps behind, trying to gauge Tony's mental state by his body language. He looked as assured as ever. Tony stripped his shirt off as the nanobots came to the surface of his skin, enclosing him up to his neck. Once in the shop, Tony tossed his shirt on the workbench, and shed his jeans and socks. The bots perked up, and came over, curious about what he was up to. Tony took a moment to contemplate the nanobot exoskeleton, and his bots, and how humanity as a concept was very blurry. Rhodey and Steve caught him at it though.

"Been awhile, Tones, you all right?" Rhodey asked.

"Yeah Rhodey. I am," Tony assured softly. "It's for the right reason."

"Okay good, just so long as you're sure." Rhodey grinned at him, happy that Tony felt comfortable enough to give it a shot. "Try not to hot dog it too much, okay?" Tony laughed and looked at the pristine armour. His hand ran over the reactor in his chest.

"I'm sure... See, no matter whether anybody else likes it or not, no matter whether I like it or not, I am Iron Man. I made a promise to change my legacy, and I'm not done yet. After all that's happened, I feel a lot more able to do that job... See you in a bit, lights of my life," Tony patted the bots, hugged Rhodey, and kissed Steve.

The armour split open and encased him, and the claustrophobia Tony thought he might feel was nowhere to be found. The HUD came online, and the visual of FRIDAY's human face was in the corner, smiling at him. "Nice to have you back on board, boss," she said.

"Good to be back, dear... You ready, V?" The casual wear Vision had donned vanished in place of his field gear.

"For you Tony, always," he said. Tony laughed, and sent the cue for the doors to the shop to open with a thought. "The question is, can you keep up?" Vision was up and through the door before it was wide enough for Tony to get out. Tony looked back at Steve and Rhodey.

"Did he really just do that?" Tony asked.

"I think he did, Tones. You better get your ass in gear," Rhodey said and smirked.

"For fuck sakes," Tony grumbled. The repulsors on his boots fired to life, and Tony was in the air.

"Language!" Steve hollered.

"I'll deal with your sass later!" Tony retorted, and blasted out the door and into the sky.

It took Tony's breath away for a moment. The increased sensation from the nanbots made flight a thrilling thing. It felt like the first time he'd taken to the air in the Mark 2. Tony let out a whoop, and FRIDAY beamed at him.

"Having a good time then, boss?" she asked.

"Just catch up to V, dear. We still have a trick or two to teach him," Tony said.

"Achieving appropriate height to break the sound barrier then," she replied. "Woo indeed."

The End (for now).


End file.
